We Didn't Trade Lives
by EternityofStardust
Summary: "We don't trade lives." After the events of Avengers: Infinity War, the few left standing decide to make a trade for a new set of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. The thing is, the only thing worth a life is another life. Updated normally. Large character arc. All reviews get read. Tons of characters. Please enjoy!
1. Part One: The Plan

Hey there. This has Avengers: Infinity War spoilers, so be warned below.

This fanfiction has a massive plot to it. The first three chapters are only scratching the surface. If you want more, which I will be updating whenever I feel creative, be sure to follow it!

I read every review I get. If you leave one, it's greatly appreciated!

Please enjoy!

Thanos had won, and now he rested.

He sat in the middle of the area he last landed with a throne crafted of precious metals. Earth was so beautiful, he thought. He'd stay here.

The few heroes left gathered in the new Avenger's facility to discuss matters.

"We can't keep doing this," Stark spoke, his face stained with tears. Peter's death was fresh in his mind.

"I've grown so old. So have all of you," he motioned. "We need the younger ones back. We need Quill and Strange and- And Peter," he said, his voice quivering.

"How would you like us to accomplish that?" Cap said, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"I say, we march up to Thanos and lay it all on the line to get them back."

"You're suggesting-" Cap started.

"I would do anything for my king," Okoye said.

Nebula was listening to all of this. "Peter made Gamora very happy, and... And Gamora saved me."

"We are not-!" Steve began again.

"Parker would do so much good," Tony mourned.

"Enough!" Cap cut off. "We do not trade lives! Is anyone here seriously considering otherwise?"

There was a long pause as everyone looked around the room. Everyone, but Tony.

Staring Cap dead in the eye, he mumbled: "I would do anything for Peter."

"And I for my king."

"And me for my sister."

"I lost someone important, too. But, we are Avengers, not sacrificers. We do not trade lives!" Rogers was growing furious.

"He would've done it for you." Tony snarled, and then walked out of the building for some air.

Cap sprinted out after him. Tony heard him, but made no move to stop or slow down. Steve grabbed his shoulder and turned him around. It wasn't until now that Tony saw the tears in Cap's eyes.

"Do you know what he said to me?" Cap began. "His last words. He was dying. He called my name out. I looked over just in time to see him die."

Tony looked dead as he stared at his past friend's flickering eyes.

"We all broke promises. Now the question is, what's more important? A valiant seventeen year old with enough strength to go around, or a fifty year old man with a mechanical degree?" He waited. "Peter's last words were, "I'm sorry." I don't know what that kid meant. How could I? What was he sorry for? Whatever it was, I want to make it right. No matter the cost."

"I won't let you do this," Steve nearly begged.

"I don't need you to," was Tony's response.

Back in the main room, they were all discussing.

"Strange has helped me many times. I am still young, but I am fading... My family is gone. There are no Asgardian's left. Jane Foster's fate is uncertain." Thor continued, "I would be willing to bring him back."

"So, we've got Quill, Strange, Parker, T'Challa," Natasha said from the corner. "Wanda is so powerful. If anyone could defeat Thanos, it'd be her. Her powers are limitless, and she's merely scratched the surface. I would be willing to trade."

Steve walked in at this moment, followed by Tony close behind.

"We have reduced our lives to chess pieces," Steve remarked.

Banner was sitting quietly. He didn't know what to say.

"We're tearing ourselves apart."

"As they say, out with the old, in with the new," Nat said sadly.

"Are we going to do this or not?" Tony asked. "I need an answer. No maybes."

"For Wakanda," Okoyo said.

"For the Avengers," Tony added.

"For the future," Thor concluded.

"I have to go somewhere," Tony said suddenly and ran out of the room, once again.


	2. Part Two: Old Bonds

May was clutching her hand as the news flashed with somber tales of past superheroes. Spider-Man flashed on the list and she squeezed her eyes shut. The words still rang out clearly from the TV.

"Spider-Man, his true identity unknown, is missing in action. Iron Man, also known as Tony Stark, said he was there with the webslinger. When questioned about it, he-"

The TV clicked off to leave her in silence, until she heard a knock at the door.

She ignored it at first, until it knocked again, softly and hesitantly.

She stumbled off of the couch, her face soaked red. When she opened the door, she was greeted by none other than Tony Stark.

May collapsed and Tony stumbled to catch her. She was sobbing now.

"Was he scared?" May asked, dying inside.

"I don't want to go, Mr. Stark..."

"He was very brave," Stark responded, his voice cracking.

"This is all your fault," she whispered. Peter told her all about the internship. Every night, she'd lay awake, wondering if Peter would come home.

Tony stared blankly to the wall opposite of him. It was his fault. He blamed himself.

"I'm-"

"Don't even apologize. It won't bring him back."

Tony pulled himself away from May. She was hurting and he knew it.

May composed herself and stood, face to face, with the man himself.

"I will fix this," Tony said.

"You can't," she whispered. "He's gone."

With that, she pushed him out of the house and locked the door.


	3. Part Three: Final Sacrifices

Back at the Avenger's headquarters, Tony rounded up everyone who agreed to the sacrifice. The all lined up, side by side, and murmured quietly amongst themselves.

Stark began pacing, glacing off to the side, his hands shaking.

"Tony, if you don't-"

"No, Nat, I do. It's just... If I trade my life for his, I won't get to see him again." The room got silent.

Cap walked in, his face red and his eyes wet. Everyone turned to look at him, except for Tony. He stood in line next to Natasha.

She grabbed his hand.

"We need Sam back," was all he could choke out. Natasha squeezed his hand.

"Tony, if I traded for Peter, would you trade for Wanda? Then you could talk to him for a bit..." Nat said.

Tony pushed his thumb and forefinger into his eyesockets, trying to feel something other than the shaking regret he felt at that moment. Natasha slowly let go of Cap's hand and walked up to Stark and hugged him. Tony stood still and let her.

"Hey, it'll be okay," she whispered into his ears.

She pulled away and Tony quickly composed himself before facing the crowd.

"Let's go," he said.

The heroes approached Thanos without weapons, without armor.

"You've already tried once," Thanos said.

"We're not here to fight you," Tony said, and knelt in front of his throne, his head faced downwards in a sign of surrender. The others followed suit, the last one being Steve.

"What could you want?" The king said, his artificial arm and stone fragments gleaming.

"We've come to bargain for the heroes trapped in the soul stone."

"What do you have to give that could be worth a life?"

"...Our lives. All of them," Tony said.

"Oh, little ones... What have you come to?"

Tony looked up, his dirt stained face wet with tears. Around him, the sky seemed to sink.

"Can you bring them back?" Tony asked, finally.

"It will be painful for both them and you. It won't be an easy trip. But, as long as order is kept, then I suppose." Thanos responded, mercy in his tone.

Tony looked at the heroes lined up beside them. They were supposed to protect the earth, not let it come to this. Oh god... How did it come to this?

Rogers stood up. Everyone's eyes drifted towards him.

"I'll go first," he said. His boots left deep imprints on the ground as he walked towards the titan. The purple mass looked at him curiously.

"For Samuel Thomas Wilson," he said, as he collapsed to his knees. His arms reached loosely towards the ground.

The king stood slowly, and then put two fingertips on his head.

"Do it," he gritted through his teeth, a smear of panic rushing through.

Tony closed his eyes.

"Guys... Oh, guys..." Peter said, the same sick feeling when he saw his life flashing away came back. Bucky ran up to him immediately as he fell to the ground. His head began bleeding from the impact.

"Kid, Jesus, kid, what's wrong?" The man said.

"Something bad's happening again," he sobbed. "Not again..." Peter teared up.

A splitting, masculine scream came from behind him and Bucky whipped around. As he watched, Sam slowly faded from the plain.

Steve vocalized his agony through grunts at first, before beginning to yell. Tony clenched his eyes shut further until it suddenly ceased. He pried them open just in time to see Cap's lifeless body fall on the floor before turning to dust.

Sam was laying on the ground not so far away from where Cap was.

"What the hell just happened?!" Sam asked anyone who would listen.

Tony walked towards Sam and picked him up so that he could stand.

"Your suit and shield and such are at HQ. The world needs a Captain America. Steve thought it'd be you."

"What the hell?" Sam said, humorless. This wasn't the arrogant Stark he knew.

"Go home. Go to HQ. Just leave. Get out of here. Far. Now."

Sam began walking away before realizing what was going on.

"You can't do this," he said. "You... You can't."

"Go. Home."

"Nat? You, too?" He said in disbelief.

"The world needs the Avengers. I deserve rest." She had reheased those words in her heads a billion times until she believed it.

"What will I do without you?" he tried to speak, but no words came out.

"You will lead them, like Steve did. Now he can rest with Bucky. Maybe even with Sharon."

"Please don't do this," he said as one last plea.

"I'm sorry," she said.

It was silent for a time before Thor walked forward in a similar fashion.

He also knelt, one foot and one knee on the ground.

"For Stephen Strange," he said, mimicking what Steve said earlier. It was a similar process on both sides-inside and out of the stone. Thor didn't call out throughout the process, a true warrior's spirit, though his face pinched and he arched his back.

 _Thor saw a lanky figure make its way towards him among the fog in the stone. It seemed to glow and walked slowly, wary. "Thor?" It asked, hopefully._

 _"Loki?"_

Strange came back, panting, on the ground. Tony walked up to him as well.

"Is this what the kid meant?" He asked, out of breath, frantic.

"Peter? Is he okay?" Panic was seething through Tony's voice.

"He kept saying he was sick and couldn't stand. He said something bad was coming. Is this it?!" asked Strange, not sure whether future terror was to come.

"Yes, this is it," Tony said. His eyes glanced to the side as he remembered Peter.

"I guess it's my turn," Natasha said, stepping up.

Thanos spoke now, as he hadn't in a while. "What value do these lives have over yours?" He asked, genuinely curious.

Nobody spoke. Nobody knew the answer, because there wasn't one.

Natasha didn't kneel. Instead, she sat gracefully with her head up.

"For Peter Parker," she said.

Peter began to fade away.

 _"I'm dying, please, dont let me die, please," he begged to Bucky, who stood there, helpless._

 _"Kid..." He said, as the last of Peter faded._

 _Bucky stood up, still staring at the spot where the young man just died. He felt a hand on his shoulder that he faintly recognized._

 _"Hey, Buck," a voice said behind him. It couldn't be, he thought. He turned around._

 _"Steve? What's going on? You shouldn't be here."_

 _"We're fixing this," Cap said. "Natasha and Tony should be here soon. Thor's around here somewhere."_

 _"You're not-" Bucky began, before stopping as Steve teared up. The little kid from Brooklyn never cried. Could it really be this bad?_

Tony was still standing in the same spot where everyone else landed as they reappeared. He was waiting frantically for Parker to show up, eager to see him again.

Peter faded in, face down. He propped himself up on one arm and tried to stand, coughing.

Tony put his hand on the oblivious kids back, who began to panic.

"Jesus?" Parker asked, sparking a smile from Tony. He blinked to clear the haze from his eyes.

"As close as you're going to get for now," he remarked.

He picked up and carried-well, more like dragged-Peter to a little clearing. In the back, Nebula was lining up as the others had. She was not silent.

Tony's back was to the commotion so that Peter was facing the trading heroes.

"Mr. Stark, I don't understand," he said, frightened. Tony just stared at him for a second, trying to see the kid again without the haunting _"I'm sorry"_ ringing through his ears.

"Mr. Stark, what's going on?" Peter said, stepping forward. Tony stopped him with his hand.

Star-Lord reappeared in the distance, and Okoye walked up to aid her in Tony's absence.

"Don't look over there. Focus on me," Tony commanded. Peter's eyes flickered between his, and the stood like that for a time.

"I'm so proud of you, kid." Tony reached his hand out and put it on his shoulder. "You're going to do great things."

"Mr. Stark, why are you telling me this?" Peter asked, worried.

Tony looked at his feet for a second before planting them firmly.

Peter understood what was happening now.

"Mr. Stark, you can't do this. Please don't do this. I lost you once, I can't..."

"Hush, kid. It's the only way. Your new suit is back at HQ. If you don't know where that is, talk to Sam. Do you know Sam?" Tony asked.

Peter nodded, tears in his eyes. "Mr. Stark, I-"

"He'll show you where you need to go, what to do. I want you to be the best you can be. Do well in school. Make some friends. Save the world. But please, be safe. Aunt May is still alive. She's waiting for you. Tell her I sent you. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes, Mr. Stark," he promised, tears spilling from his eyes and his voice cracking. Tony was crying, too, at this point.

"Mr. Stark?" Peter began. "When I said I was sorry-"

"Don't," Tony interrupted.

"I meant that I was sorry that I couldn't help."

Tony stopped for a second, and then held out his arms for a hug. Peter embraced him, shaking.

"I thought we weren't there yet, Mr. Stark," he said, choking on his words.

T'Challa stood next to Strange, Sam, and Quill. They were all discussing quietly.

"It's my turn," Tony said, a taint of fear in his usually confident demeanor.

"Please, don't go," Peter said.

Tony began walking away and Peter chased after him.

"I'll never be able to forgive myself," he said as he ran after Tony.

Tony tried to block his words out as he got to Thanos.

"Mr. Stark, don't do this!" he called. Tony's legs gave out under him and he struggled to stand. Peter rushed up to him, finally caught up, and they looked each other in their red, tear-soaked eyes.

"Don't do this," Peter repeated.

Tony stood and knelt in front of Thanos.

"For Wanda Maximoff," he said.

"No!" the kid screamed and began running towards Thanos, who already had Tony in his grasp to transport him to the soul stone.

Dr. Strange ran up to him, stopping him in the act. Peter began struggling and so T'Challa joined him in his efforts. They turned Peter around so that their backs were to Tony and Peter didn't have to witness the process. Peter went limp.

Thanos began his work, one final time. Tony didn't know if it was fear or pain or sadness, but he couldn't keep his mouth shut. He yelled, and it echoed through the barren, green field where they all were. What a beautiful last sight...

Peter began kicking his legs and screaming words as he heard Tony's pangs. Once Tony was gone, Strange and T'Challa let the kid go.

"I am sorry," the King remarked. Peter fell to the ground, crying. Strange sat next to him, trying his best to comfort him. He never was good with children.

"How could you do this to me?" Peter mumbled between breaths.

Sam looked at the group he now had to lead. A king, a kid, a wizard, an alien, and an ex-veteran were now the Earth's best defenders.

After a time, Parker stood, still shaking. They walked back to HQ where they were directed to go.

Strange was the only one Peter would talk to for no particular reason. In a hushed voice, back at their headquarters, Peter asked him if he could go home to Aunt May.

Strange nodded and went to tell Sam where they were going.

When he came back, Peter was staring at the door, his hands fidgeting.

"Are you ready?" he asked, and Peter nodded.

When they arrived, Aunt May answered the door with messy hair and her glasses nowhere to be found. When she first saw Peter, she froze.

"Mr. Stark sent me," Peter said meekly, before May pulled him into an embrace.

Stephen closed the door and made his way back, alone, pondering what was to come of the new team of heroes.


	4. Part Four: New Land

"Why Sam?" Bucky said.

Steve got it immediately.

"I was worried that you wouldn't want it, and I didn't exactly have the opportunity to ask. I thought maybe you wanted rest. I'm sorry, Buck," he replied.

"Ah." Bucky paused and subconsciously looked at his missing arm. He didn't have the metal replacement to go onto it, and there really wasn't anything he could do about it.

"Have you looked around, at all?" Nomad asked.

"Not really. The kid that was here. What was his name?"

"Peter? Peter Parker?" Steve suggested.

"Yeah, him. He was pretty beat up. Something was wrong, and it took us hours to get him to calm down. He kept saying something bad was going to happen. Also said something about a spider something. Spidey something? One of those two. He wouldn't-or even couldn't-tell us what was wrong. He passed out after a time. Poor kid," James concluded.

Steve adjusted his stance and looked around. In the distance, he saw a bright light, nearly like a sunset.

"What's that down there?" He asked, pointing.

"Hell if I know. I don't think it's a good idea to go down there. Who knows what's lurking?"

"Do you know if there's others, or where some could be?" Steve asked.

"No idea. Sam was here, so was Peter. They're both gone. Who else did you say was here?"

"Nat, Tony, Okoye, Strange, Thor, Nebula."

Bucky blinked a few times. Those were some very unusual names, he thought.

Steve sat down in the dirt. He ran his fingers along it, it's alien colors unsettling. Bucky sat down beside him.

"I don't think we can die here," Bucky said. "I think we're stuck."

Cap rubbed his eyes with his thumb and middle finger. He would never get to see Peggy again...

"We need to find the others," he said after a time. Bucky agreed.

They stood, unsure of what was soon to come.


	5. Part Five: I Need to Know

Peter didn't leave May's side for the rest of that night. He remembered the fear he felt on that strange planet. Not only the fear, the sadness and the sense of loss. "Aunt May?" he asked, once he had caught his breath.

Aunt May looked over at him.

"Is Ned okay?" he asked shyly.

"Oh, Peter, I don't know..." May leaned over and hugged him. "I just don't know."

There was a gentle knock on the door. Peter got up and quickly opened it to see Strange standing in the doorway.

"Kid, we need to talk," he said.

Peter looked at May, who nodded. The young adult stepped outside the door to consult with the mage.

"Okay, first of all," Peter started, "what's your actual name?"

"Stephen Strange. The Stephen Strange, actually."

Peter's face lit up. "The neurosurgeon?!"

"Yes. As in, Doctor Strange. Look, we have more important matters to discuss."

Peter was silent for a second.

"There is a giant purple Titan-alien thing out there who was willing to kill half of the universe just so he could "save us." I don't know what Tony saw in you, but whatever it was, it must have been important for that arrogant superhero to trade his life for you. A literal god traded his life for mine, and I don't know what to make of that." Strange paused to let that sink in. "I need to know if Tony was right. Are you an Avenger or just another kid from Queens?"

Peter shifted his weight and looked off to the side.

"What about Aunt May?" he asked. "I can't leave her again..."

"So is that a no, kid? Because we don't have forever if we want to see any of them again."

Peter hesitated for a bit and then nearly began a response.

"God, I'm only eighteen and you're asking me to go on a suicide mission!" Peter threw his hands up. Strange listened closely. "I got bitten by some dumb spider and now I don't even know if my best friend is alive and Aunt May is so worried and you want me to go and die!"

"Do you want to talk to your Aunt about it?" Stephen suggested sympathetically. He felt the same helplessness when he was first learning magic. His mentor died, too.

Peter nodded and headed inside. Stephen paced on the porch.

"Aunt May," he began. "They want me to rejoin the Avenger's program."

Aunt May began shaking her head. Peter came and sat down in front of her.

"I wasn't going to tell you this, but Mr. Stark traded his life for mine. He's gone, and they need me to help get him back."

Aunt May's mouth dropped in disbelief. "He's... He died?" She asked.

Peter was tearing up now. He nodded.

"I slammed the door on him when he told me he was going to get you back..."

"Aunt May, please, let me do this to get him back. I promise I'll be careful."

"Peter, what if you got hurt? I can't lose you again..."

In truth, Peter didn't want to go. He wanted to say home and feel mildly safe with his aunt instead of risking everything on a long shot chance at defeating a titan.

"Please?" Peter asked. "If it gets too dangerous, I'll come home. Okay?"

May thought about it, her eyes stinging. She nodded slightly.

There was a knock on the door again. Peter opened it once more.

"So?" Stephen asked.

"I'm in," Peter replied.


	6. Part Six: Reunited

Trigger warning: Mentions of suicide, neglect, hinted at torture

Nebula and Tony landed next to each other in the soul world.

For whatever reason, Nebula was passed out on the ground when Tony rematerialized. He lay on the ground, panting, before forcing himself to sit up. He saw her and immediately dropped his own priorities. He put a shaking hand on her neck to check for a pulse.

Nebula's left habd reached down to her leg for a non-existant dagger and her right hand shot up at Tony's neck. After a breif realization, she let Tony stumble backwards and gave him a glare.

"I was only checking for a pulse," he said defensively while his hands went to rub his sore throat.

"Alright, so is there a plan, genius? Or are we stuck here?" Nebula asked.

"We've got to find the others," Tony responded. In the distance, an echo bounced off the ground scattered with a few rocks. Tony and Nebula immediately looked at each other, before Tony faced forward. He cupped his hands around his mouth and took in a breath to yell. Nebula snatched his arms immediately away.

"What are you doing?!" Tony asked.

"You hear one random call and decide to let them know where we are when we have no clue if they're friend or foe?"

Another yell echoed.

"It's coming from this direction," Nebula pointed.

"How would you know?"

"If you haven't seen, I'm halfway made of metal you idiot."

Tony paused to look down at his chest. His Arc Reactor glowed softly and he cusped his hand over it. When he looked up, Nebula's silent feet had already taken her ten feet ahead of him.

Two figures began to form out of the fog, one lanky and the other broad. Nebula and Tony paused and took a defensive stance, ready for a fight.

Thor and Loki make themselves seen, though neither of the battle-ready relaxed at their presence.

"Stark! What's new?" Thor asked.

"Why is he here?" Tony countered, referring to Loki.

"He's my brother-"

"Yes, I know that. He tried to kill us. Why is he here?"

"He's changed!" Thor bellowed. "He died fighting Thanos."

Nebula relaxed. Any enemy of Thanos was her ally.

"When are you going to tell us what all happened while you were gone?" Tony asked, concerned.

"It's a very long story," Thor responded.

"I've got all the time in the world."

"That's cute and all, Tony, but I don't. I need to find the other Guardians that are here," Nebula said.

"The Guardians?" Thor asked. "I spoke with them! Rabbit and Tree and Drax the Destroyer and the other, scrawny one, correct?"

Nebula suppressed a smile. "Yes, that is correct."

"By all means, lead the way!" Thor responded.

"Wait," Tony interjected. "That might not be the best idea. We've found a safe spot here and who knows where the others are. We should stay here, for at least tonight."

"Wow, Stark," Nebula responded. "Maybe if you asked less questions and listened a bit more, you could actually be smart."

 _Tell that to my mechanical degree, my previous_ _weapons program, my technical AI, and my entire collection of suits,_ Tony thought.

"We'll take watches. Loki takes none," Tony suggested.

"Fine by me," Loki responded and made himself comfortable on the ground.

"I'll go first," Thor chimed in.

"I'll go second," Nebula added.

"Third it is. If you hear or see anything, wake me up. We can head out afterwards."

Thor's back was facing Loki as he watched over Tony and Nebula. He heard something small, like a pebble being thrown onto concrete. He turned around to look, only to see several rocks of all sized floating in the air.

Loki was full Jötun form and wisps of green threaded themselves around and between his fingers.

"Loki," Thor whispered. Loki didn't stir.

He placed his large hand gently on Loki's shoulder, who threw his hands up to stand. The rocks fell with multiple thuds.

"Are you alright?" Thor asked.

"I'm fine," Loki remarked, rubbing his tired eyes. "I thought I grew out of nightmares."

"You can go back to sleep," Thor told him. Loki just shook his head and sat up.

"I think it's time to wake up the Guardian," Thor says.

Her reaction was a stark contrast to how she reacted with Tony.

Loki's back was now towards them all as he looked to the sky, rubbing his arms briskly for warmth.

"Blue?" Nebula said after Thor had lied down.

Loki hung his head.

"So, why'd you try and kill Tony and Thor? I mean, I get family issues and all. But Tony, too?"

Loki half turned his head to look at Nebula.

"My past is dark, and further shadowed by self-proclaimed gods. One promised me everything I ever wanted in exhange for the life of some mortals... And something else."

"What was that something else?" Nebula asked.

"Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answer to," Loki responded.

"It was an infinity stone, wasn't it? You worked with Thanos?!"

She lunged at him from behind. Loki stood and his outstretched hands formed daggers, but it was too late. Nebula already had her grip around Loki's neck, rendering his arms useless.

"You can't kill me here," Loki forced out.

"Try me," Nebula responded.

"You can't. I tried."

Nebula pushed herself away from Loki, sending him tumbling back.

"What do you mean "you tried?!"" She spat.

"I was on a lone planet for weeks surrounded solely by people who would rather kill me than attempt a peace. It was them or me, and who knows what methods they would use."

Loki noticed now he was still in Jötun form, and black and green washed over his pale skin as he transformed back into his humanoid colors.

"I'd rather not have another attempt on my life, if it's all the same to you."

Loki laid down in the dirt.

"Oh, and if you see anything magical, wake me up."


	7. Part Seven: The New Captain

Sam walked alone down the hallway towards Steve's section of the HQ. The others were discussing in the main room what would happen next (or so, he thought). His steps were heavy, as if he was walking a dead man's path.

He knocked on the door out of instinct and felt his heart sink when there was no reply. He pushed his way into the room.

There was a door to a closet in the back of the room. There was something hanging on the door with his name carefully sprawled out in Steve's unusually neat handwriting.

He thought it was just a label at first, but once he out his hand on the closet door to open it, he noticed that it was actually a note.

He pulled his hand away from the doorknob, lingering for just a second. He turned around and began running both hands over his head as he paced back and forth across the room. What could Steve have had to say?

He brought himself back to the note and sat on the edge of the bed. He opened it gently, letting the crease undo itself.

"Sam,

I know what you're thinking. I promise you that whatever sacrifice was made to put you in this position was well worth it.

The mantle of Captain America is one that is hard to shoulder, but I have no doubts that you are strong enough to carry that guise.

I had this suit made for you the day after the snap. I have been Cap for far too long and I'm way past my time. They need you, Sam. They need a leader and you're the solution.

Don't let your true colors fade.

Steve."

Sam read the note again and again until he basically had it memorized. He set the note down until he noticed something drawn on the back.

He flipped it over in his hand and carefully examined the drawing. It was a monkey on a unicycle dressed in Steve's patriotic uniform. The drawing was faded and smeared, but he could just make out the meaning.

He folded the note back up and set it on a dresser. Again, he put his hand on the doorknob and in an act of courage he shoved it open. There sat three things: his wings, painted blue and white on top of the red, a new fitted uniform, darker than the brilliant blue previously adorned by Rogers, and his original shield with the scratch marks nonexistent and the paint job repaired.

"I've always looked good in blue," he said to himself, breaking the silence.


End file.
